Rabbit Don't Come Easy

Rabbit Don’t Come Easy is the tenth album on which Helloween gathers fast riffs, bright melody and singable choruses and recovers the fun of the power metal it does best. Turning from the dark, heavy style of the previous The Dark Ride, it steers again toward an open, clear direction. The songs run lightly, yet the hardness of the guitar and the push of the rhythm give ample weight. From the catchy drive of the opener “Just a Little Sign” and the lift of “Open Your Life” to the melody of “The Tune” and the speed of “Liar,” every song carries a clear hook, while a cut like “Hell Was Made in Heaven” adds thickness. True to a title with humor, playfulness and a fist-raising lift fill the whole. Though a period with production difficulties such as a drummer change, the result is positive and powerful, showing no sign of such circumstances. It is a record that reaffirms traditional Helloween in a present-day sound. It is a fulfilling record that lets you straightforwardly savor the appeal of straight-ahead melodic power metal.